A LONG AWAITED report into Ireland’s cardiac care has not been published, with the review still sitting on Health Minister Stephen Donnelly’s desk, the Oireachtas Health Committee will be told today.
Pending the reviews’ implementation, cardiac care will remain “in a state of limbo”, committee members will hear.
In his opening statement, Chris Macey, Director of Advocacy and Patient Support, Irish Heart Foundation (IHF), outlines that there is “chronic lack of investment in community supports for heart and stroke patients”.
Cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in Ireland, with an average of 10,000 deaths per annum. Approximately 7,500 people have a stroke each year in Ireland, and stroke is the leading cause of acquired adult neurological disability in this country.
The committee will hear that the National Cardiac Services Review which was carried out some years back and that contains key recommendations to improve services has still not been signed off on.
Ireland does not have a current National Cardiovascular Health Strategy – with the last strategy expiring in 2019.
Macey states that there are now “unnecessary difficulties” in planning and organising services that will inevitably impact patient outcomes.
“Specific issues include long waiting times for echocardiogram, cardiac magnetic resonance and CT scans and shortages in physiologist posts,” he states.
There is no national policy “for the world’s biggest disease since 2019″, with Macey to tell the committee that the “Department of Health still has no intention to develop a policy”.
Although cancer has its own unit within the department, cardiovascular disease does not, members will be told.
The IHF claims the review was provided for the minister’s consideration over six months ago and it was hoped it would have been published by now.
It will be at least six years from commencement of the review to its eventual publication.
It is understood there are concerns that the failure to publish the review is having an impact on cardiovascular healthcare and a worry about whether the report or its recommendations will still be relevant.
Oireachtas Health Committee told that people who have a stroke in Ireland ‘go off a cliff’ in terms of the lack of aftercare supports, with a gaping hole in psychological supports.
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) December 13, 2023
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In addition, committee members will hear that while the National Stroke Strategy 2022-27 has been published, it is not being coherently implemented.
Macey states that the non-recurrent funding was allocated to the stroke strategy in last year’s Budget.
This means key staffing increases “which are its cornerstone were largely unaddressed”, states Macey.
“And there’s growing concern that none of 70-75 posts required under the strategy will be filled in 2024,” he states.
The IHF has developed services “in response to a widespread sense of abandonment among stroke survivors caused by lack of access to community rehabilitation and recovery services”, the statement outlines.
“Despite psychological impact similar to PTSD that often results from a stroke or heart disease diagnosis, the IHF provides the only access to counselling for many people,” says Macey.
“The national stroke unit network is already struggling, with units in Naas and St James’ not currently meeting minimum criteria and others under severe pressure. Senior clinicians believe a failure to roll-out the strategy could result in no stroke units being left in Ireland’s inland counties.
“We estimate that de-funding the stroke strategy could mean some 500 cases of preventable death and severe permanent disability among patients who aren’t admitted to a unit,” Macey states.
He said the IHF was seeking a time bound commitment from the health minister to develop a new National Cardiovascular Policy, publish and implement the National Cardiac Services Review and fully roll-out the National Stroke Strategy.
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